1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a shoulder strap. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shoulder strap for a brassiere. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a shoulder strap that is ergonomically designed to conform, as desired, to the shoulder of the wearer to provide comfort and support.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A well known problem associated with brassiere shoulder straps is the discomfort caused by the strap on the shoulder of the wearer. Specifically, the brassiere shoulder strap may cause an indentation in, or irritation of, the skin of the shoulder. Numerous attempts have been made to relieve this discomfort. Some attempts have included the use of shoulder pads of cotton or foam rubber that are interposed between the strap and the wearer""s shoulder or releasably attached to the strap. Such pads have proven to be bulky and unsightly, as well as inconvenient since they have a tendency to become disengaged from, or shift position on, the shoulder strap.
Some brassiere straps have attempted to incorporate a pad structure into the strap itself. Such brassiere straps have been somewhat successful in relieving discomfort. However, these straps also have inherent disadvantages. Often, these types of straps fail to maintain their aesthetic appearance after several machine washings. The pads lose their shape, become bulky, and also become discolored. More importantly, none of these types of straps provide the comfort of a shoulder strap that stretches longitudinally to move with, and conform to, the wearer.
Other attempts to relieve discomfort have included widening the brassiere strap in order to better distribute the weight in the shoulder area.
Other types of shoulder straps, i.e. on backpacks and golf bags, have attempted to use gel as a shock absorber. Again, such straps may be bulky and may not provide a smooth, attractive appearance.
Given the foregoing, there is a need for a brassiere shoulder strap that is flexible enough to initially be positioned to provide comfort to the anatomy of a person""s shoulder, and move with, and conform to, the shoulder of the wearer, while maintaining its aesthetic appearance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a brassiere strap that has a shaped portion that conforms to the anatomy of the shoulder area of the wearer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ergonomically designed brassiere strap that hugs and cushions the shoulder area of the wearer.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a brassiere strap that alleviates discomfort and irritation of the shoulder area of the wearer.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a brassiere strap that has a non-bulky, aesthetic appearance.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a brassiere strap that is constructed to achieve a long wear life.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a brassiere shoulder strap that is anatomically shaped so that it conforms to the shape of the shoulder of the wearer. By conforming to the shape of the shoulder, the strap of the present invention provides and maintains a cushioning effect. The shoulder strap contains a curvilinear shaped area that is wider than a conventional brassiere strap in order to increase the size of the load bearing region of the wearer""s shoulder. In a preferred embodiment, the curvilinear shaped area of the strap is xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d shaped. This curvilinear shaped area includes an outer cover that surrounds an interior hollow portion. This interior hollow portion is filled with a cushioning material. In a preferred embodiment, the cushioning material is a silicone gel.